Railway-mail crane.



' Patented Aug. 7, |900. A. n. BLACK. A RAILWAY MAIL CRANE.

(Application filed Mar. 1 5, 1 900.) (N u M o d el @num/tios 'l y x vnr. Nobels Parras cu, wovomruo wnsnmcnnu. D cV PATENT Orino AMOS It. BLACK, OF LAMAR, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELLIS R. BLACK, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-MAI L CRAN E.

SCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,669, dated August 7, 1900. Application iiled March 15, 1900. Serial No. 8,798. (No model.)

One object of the invention is to provide a mail-bag crane which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, comparatively inexpensive of production, and efficient in operation.

A further object is to obviate the necessity of employing platforms,springs, castings, and weights commonly used in mail-cranes".

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is z 5 a perspective view of my improved mail-bag crane, showing it in position for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the crane in the position it assumes when not in use. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View, on an enlarged 3o scale, through the friction-clutch and a fragment of the post; and Fig. 4 isa transverse sectional view through the post looking downward upon the friction-clutch.

In the drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention.

1 denotes a suitable sill or support, and 2 a vertical post connected to said sill or support and braced by the diagonal braces 3.

4 and 5 denote, respectively, the upper and lower mail-bag-supporting arms, which are preferably made of material having a slight spring and are provided at their outer ends with means of any desired construction for engaging the rings 6 of the mail-bag. The

inner end of the arm 4 is connected to a head 7, loosely supported on the post 2 and adapted to rotate thereon. The inner end of the arm 5 is connected to a friction-clutch 8, 5o loosely supported on the post 2 and adapted to rotate on the post, as well as move up and down on the post, limited in its downward movement by a fixed collar 11. The arm 4 is hinged to the head 7 in any suitable manner, but preferably by forming the inner end of the arm with an eye 12, which engages a similar eye 13 of a stud 14, swiveled to an extension l5 of the head. The arm 4 therefore has a swiveled as well as a hinge connection with the head, and when not in use occupies the vertical position shown in Fig. 2. To hold the arm extended laterally at an angle to the post, so as to properlyT support the mail-bag, any suitable means may be employed, and I consider said means as falling within the scope of my invention so long as said means will permit of the arms 4 and 5 being frictionally disengaged from the head 7 and clutch 8 and revolve around the post when the bag is struck by the catch-arm on the mail-car when running at a high rate of speed. A convenient form of said means is illustrated in the drawings, and consists of a hook 16, which when the arm is elevated horizontally is adapted to be slid over the extension 15 of the head, thus supporting the arm inl a horizontal position.

The friction-clutch 8, hereinbefore referred to, preferably consists of a ring the diameter of the inner wall 17 of which is greater than the diameter of the post to permit of the ring being slightly canted with respect to the post, and thereby cause the edge of the wall 17 to frictionally grip the post and hold the ring in adjustment when upward strain is applied to it. This ring is provided with an extension 19, to which is swiveled a stud 20, the lower end of which is provided with an eye 2l to receive a similar eye 22, formed on the inner end of the arm 5. Any other suitable means may be employed for connecting y the inner end of the arm 5 to the extension of the clutch, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the construction herein shown and described.

The operation of the invention is as follows: When it is desired to support a mail-bag by the arms 4 and 5, the arm 4 is swung upward from the position shown in Fig. 2 by any suitable tool or implement, such as a forked pole, and its hook engaged with the extension of the head 7. The upper ring of the mail- IOO bag is now slipped over the free end of said arm or engaged with a fastening device which may be carried by said free end, and the outer end of the arm 5 or the fastening device carried thereby is now engaged with the` lower ring of the bag. The friction-clutch is now pressed downward, causing upward strain on the lower arm 5, which automatically locks the friction-clutch 8 to the post 2. (See Fig. 3.) This draws the bag taut and prevents its swinging to and fro by the wind and becoming accidentally disengaged from the arms. The forcing down of the friction-clutch also bends the arms 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. l, and thus more securely binds the hook 16 at the inner end of the arm 4 to the extension of the head 7 and the inner end of the arm 5 to the extension of the clutch 8, increasing the friction at these points and on the post, so that passing trains,not provided with mailbag catchers, and the wind will not swing said arms from their frictional engagement with the extensions of the head and clutch or rotate said head and clutch on the post. The instant the bag is grasped by the mail-bag catcher on the car running at a high rate of speed the arms 4 and 5 will slip from their frictional engagement with the extensions of the head and clutch, and said head and clutch will rotate on the post. Were the head and clutch not loosely connected to the post the momentum or impetus imparted to the arms by the fast-moving train would tend to strip the arms from said head and clutch. Owing to the fact, however, that the head and clutch are loosely mounted on the post and free to turn thereon, the arms will be allowed to swing around the post and finally come to a vertical position parallel with the post. This is a very important feature of my invention and makes it next to impossible to break the crane or cause it to get out of order.

When the mail-car is running at a lon7 rate of speed and disengages the mail-bag from the arms, the head 7 and the friction-clutch 8 will not rotate on the post 2, but the front end of the arms will drop down to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, as soon as the hook 10 is disengaged from the head 7.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiring an extended explanation. By its employment the complicated and expensive mail-bag cranes now in general use with their mounting-platforms, springs, castings, and weights may be dispensed with without in the least affecting the efliciency of the service, thus effecting a great reduction in the cost of equipping a road with mail-bag cranes.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having th us fully described my invention; what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. In acrane,ofthe character described,the combination of a supporting-post, a head loosely mounted on said post and adapted to rotate freely and completely around the post without interruption or restriction, an arm loosely connected to said head and provided with means for holding the arm at an angle to the post,and a second arm also adapted to rotate freely and completely around the post without interruption or restriction and having a clutch for engaging the post.

2. In a crane,of the character described,the combination of a supportingpost, a head loosely mounted on said post and adapted to rotate completely around the post, a frictionclutch having a loose engagement with said post and also adapted to rotate completely around the post, arms loosely connected to saidhead and said friction-clutch and adapted to rotate with them completely around the post, and means for supporting said arms at an angle to the post.

3. In a crane of the character described, the combination with a supporting-post, a head secured to said post and arms loosely connected to said head and provided with a hook for engaging said head and supporting the armat an angle to said post, and a second arm loosely connected to said post, substantially as s et forth.

4. In a crane of the character described, the combination of a supporting-post, a head carried by said post and provided with an eXtension, an arm having a hinged and swiveled connection with said head extension, and a hook carried by said arm and adapted to eX- tend over and engage said extension and support the arm at an angle to said post, substantially as set forth.

5. In a crane of the character described, the combination of a supporting-post, an arm loosely connected thereto, a second arm, a friction-clutch connected to said post and having a hinge-and-swivel connection with the second-named arm, substantially as set forth.

6. In a crane of the character described, the combination of a supporting-post, an arm having a loose connection with the supporting-post, a friction-clutch consisting of a ring the diameter of the inner wall of which is greater than the outer wall of the post, said friction-clutch'being provided with an extension, and a second arm having a hinged and swiveled connection with said extension, substantially as set forth.

7. In a crane of the character described, the combination of a supporting-post, an arm having a loose connection with the supporting-post, a friction-clutch consisting of a ring the diameter of the inner wall of which is greater than the outer wall of the post, said friction-clutch being provided with an extension, a second arm having a hinged and swiv- IOO IIS

etaeee e eled connection with said extension, and a collar fixed to said post below the frictionclutch, substantially as set forth.

8. In a crane of the character described, the combination of a supporting-post provided with a friction-clutch and with a head, one being supported above the other and having a sliding engagement on said post and each being provided with extensions, spring-arms loosely connected to said extensions, one of said arms being provided with means for supporting it at an angle to the post, whereby when the free ends of said arms are engaged with the opposite ends of the mail-bag and the clutch forced downward upon said post said arms will be bowed or curved thus frictionally binding them at their points of engagement with the extensions aforesaid and hold the bag, substantially as set forth.

9. In a mail-bag crane, the combination with a post, of a head loosely mounted on the ,y

post and adapted to rotate completely around the post, an arm loosely connected to said head and adapted to rotate around the post therewith, independent means for detachably engaging the arm with the head, and a second arm loosely mounted on the post and also adapted to rotate completely therearound.

lO. In a mail-bag crane, the combination' with a post, of a head loosely mounted on the post and adapted to rotate completely around the post, a friction-clutch loosely mounted on' the post and adapted to rotate completely around the post, an arm loosely connected to the head and adapted'to rotate around the post therewith, and an arm loosely connected to the friction-clutch and adapted to rotate around the post therewith, said arms being adapted to drop, with their points downward, after the mail-bag has been disengaged from the arms.

11. In a mail-bag crane, the combination with a post, and mail-bag arms rotatably connected to the post and adapted to revolve freely and completely around the post without interruption or restriction, of a frictionlock gripping the post to frictionally lock the arms in position for use.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.AMOS R. BLACK.

Witnesses:

H. B. WILLsoN, BENJ. Gr. CowL. 

